Detox from your smartphone in 6 steps

Answer these questions sincerely:

Do you check your phone first thing in the morning and right before bed?
Do you immediately check your phone when you hear a notification?
Do you feel anxious when you cannot access social media?

If the answer is yes, you may have a smartphone addiction problem. Apps like Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook naturally fuel addiction. When you get a notification, your brain feels like it’s getting rewarded. You continue to post, comment and like to enhance that feeling.
Social media addiction may not destroy your health in the traditional sense, but it can do major damage to your life. The consequence of our screen habit is that our attention level is very low and we’re impatient, accustomed to a culture of instant gratification and fast WiFi.

Be more aware of the time we spend online. There are steps you can take to change your habits for the better:

1. Get an alarm clock
   Using your phone as an alarm clock could cause you to check it right before bed and immediately when I got up. Move your charger in another room and get an alarm clock.
2. App Usage Trackers
   Install an application that can track how much time you spend using your phone. At the end of each day, mark your results in a notebook. Doing this will help you keep track of your progress and encourage you to keep improving.
3. Delete apps
   Pick the apps that you think you spend too much time on and delete them from your phone. No temptation to get distracted anymore!
4. Turn off unnecessary notification alert.
   Turn all of them off. Because seeing your screen light up with a notice is something you could be not strong enough to ignore.
5. Keep your phone out of sight
   Leave your phone behind. Keep busy in productive activities such as sports, reading and other hobbies that gratify you. (Notify everyone in advance that you’re doing this)
6. Airplane mode.
   Keep your phone on airplane mode as default all day. Take it off this mode only when you need to use it.

It’s a process, but you’ll improve and you’ll feel happier.